The Smallest Protector
by Kypriotha
Summary: Tobe is impatiently waiting for an important event to occur. But the result might not be quite what he expected. Written for the Goldenlake Decathlon.
1. Waiting

**Waiting (Donkey Discuss)**

Tobeis Boon paced nervously outside the infirmary. He wished he was allowed in, but the midwife had told him very firmly that the birthing room was no place for a man. He had briefly considered arguing the point but the midwife had a very no-nonsense face that told him he wouldn't get very far. He'd decided to save his breath.

Now, he wished he had tried argue his way into the room. Anything would be better than this agonising wait, not knowing what was happening. Sir Neal had warned him about it and had tried to give him some tips on how to deal with it. But Tobe, who had been there with Lady Kel when Sir Neal was waiting for the birth of his first child, wasn't sure how valuable the tips were, as they hadn't seemed to do Sir Neal any good. Then again, Tobe thought, that may have just been because it was Neal.

Thinking on that birth and that wait, Tobe wished he had someone to wait with him now, as he had waited with Neal when Lady Kel went in to see Lady Yuki. Lady Kel had said she'd try to make it in time, but he knew the chances of her being held up on the road were high. And his brother-in-law had said he would come, but there had been an emergency and he was called away. All their other friends were busy.

As time ticked on, Tobe thought he would scream with frustration. When one of the assistants finally came to the door to get him, he was too relieved to notice the worried look on her face. He rushed to his wife's bedside and took her hand. It was only then he realised that she was pale, clammy and shaking and that everyone else in the room looked grave. The stern midwife, and baby, were nowhere to be seen.

"Gydo, what is it? What's wrong? Where's our baby? Is everything all right?"

Gydane Boon shook her head, tears streaming down her face. "I don't know. I don't know where the baby is or what's going on. Salome took the baby away and no one has told me anything."

Tobe squeezed her hand tightly and planted a kiss on her cheek. "I'll find out, okay? You stay here and let these ladies look after you and I'll find the midwife and our baby." He gave her another kiss before rising and going in search of the midwife.

He found her in the next room, talking frantically with another healer. Tobe had never seen the unflappable midwife this worked up. He looked around for his baby and drew a sharp intake of breath as his eyes rested on the small form on the table between the two healers. It was his baby, but it wasn't a baby.

It was a little foal.


	2. Resolution

**Resolution (1500 Word Dash)**

Tobe stood staring at the little foal. His son. It seemed ridiculous. _There must be a mistake_. But no. It was his son. He could sense it. But… He frowned, concentrating on the small shape. He couldn't communicate him, like he could with his horses, even the young ones. So the baby was human, after a fashion. Why was it shaped like a foal?

The midwife saw him standing in the doorway and broke off her conversation with the other healer. "You shouldn't be here, Master Boon. This is for healers only. You'll have to go." She was harried, not her usual calm self. Tobe stared her down.

"No. That's my son. I'm not leaving until you tell me what's going on."

The midwife threw up her hands, a sign of distress. "How can I tell you what's going on, when I don't know myself? As soon as I do, I'll let you know!"

"No," Tobe repeated. "That's _my_ _son_. I'll tell you what you're going to do. You're going to stay here and look after him. I'll send one of the lads from the stables to help you, my brother-in-law Meech if he's back. You will care for him with as much care as you would a human baby you helped birth. You will care for my wife. She is obviously very distressed and I'm guessing it was a hard labour for her." _At least we now know why it was a hard pregnancy for her. And why she had those weird cravings._ "I will go and explain to her what is going on and find someone to stay with her. Then I will find the Wildmage and bring her here. She'll know what to do."

Tobe looked the midwife up and down. _Salome. Gydo called her Salome_. She looked shaken; not the steely person she'd been before the birth. He thought she would listen to him this time. He softened his tone. "Do you understand me, Mistress Salome? Will you do as I ask? Will you help me care for my wife and son?"

Mistress Salome took a deep breath and nodded. Tobe clasped her hand briefly in thanks before returning to his wife in the room next door. The room looked much as he'd left it, Gydo in the bed and the assistants standing around, but with one new addition. Lady Knight Keladry of Mindelan, his former mistress, sat by his wife, holding her hand. She smiled briefly at Tobe as he came over to the bed, a small tight smile quite unlike her usual relaxed smile.

"I'm sorry I couldn't get here sooner. I was held up on the road, sorting out a quarrel between two shop owners." Her eyes searched his face briefly. "What's happening here? The assistants won't tell us anything."

Tobe took Gydo's free hand and gave it a brief squeeze, in what he hoped was a reassuring gesture. "I've spoken to the midwife. She and another healer have our baby in the next room. They're going to look after him whilst we look after you in here."

Gydo smiled up at him, a genuinely happy smile that broke through the tears and lines of pain on her face. "Him?" she whispered.

Tobe smiled back and squeezed her hand again. "Yes. Him. Our son."

But there must have been something on his face, something that gave away his worry, for Gydo's smile slipped from her face. "But?" she asked, her voice barely audible.

"There's something...not wrong with him, but...not quite the same as other babies. That's why they took him away. To check him over." Tobe knew he had to tell her, and soon, but he couldn't just now. Not when she looked so exhausted and ill. It had been a difficult nine months for her and things didn't look to be getting better any time soon. He kissed her forehead and stood up. "I need to talk to Kel for a minute. Is that alright, my love?"

Gydo nodded, looking more exhausted than Tobe had ever seen her. He squeezed her hand one last time before leading Kel into the hall. She put her hand on his shoulder.

"What's wrong Tobe? You've got your Scanra face on."

Tobe took a deep breath. "It's not a baby. Well, it is, but it's not."

Kel looked understandably confused. "What do you mean? You said you had a son."

"No, I did. I mean, yes he's our son. But he's not a human baby. He's a foal. At least, he has the shape of a foal. But he doesn't feel like a horse to me, so I think he's a human baby underneath, but I'm not sure. I need the Wildmage. She'll know what to do. Will you stay with Gydo whilst I'm gone? I can't leave her alone. I'll send for Meech too. He'll be able to help them care for the baby."

Kel nodded. She looked worried, but her face didn't betray any emotion other than that. Tobe didn't expect it too. She was just opening her mouth to say something when there was a scream of pain from inside the birthing room. They raced back inside to find Gydo sitting up in the bed, clutching her stomach. There were red stains on the sheets around her. Tobe took one look and turned around, heading for the room next door. Mistress Salome and the other healer were still there. Tobe addressed the healer.

"You! You're needed next door to look after my wife. She's bleeding from the Goddess only knows where. Mistress Salome, please stay here with my son. I'll send help as soon as I can."

Tobe didn't wait for answer but strode back into the hall. As he grabbed a passing assistant, he felt the healer hurry past him.

"I need you to find Meech Elder. Tell him he's needed at the infirmary immediately to help look after his nephew."

The assistant nodded and sped off. Tobe returned to stand with Kel beside Gydo's bedside whilst the healer tended to her. _It seems this labour was harder on her than I first thought._ Kel looked up at him.

"Tobe, I've sent my squire to get Neal. He's been working with patrols in this region. He'll be able to help her. You need to find Daine as soon as possible. I'll stay with Gydo and explain things when she's feeling better."

Tobe nodded once, needing no words to communicate with his former mistress. She clasped his shoulder once before turning her attention back to Gydo and the healer.

Tobe wasn't sure how quickly he would be able to find Daine. With the Scanran border quieter in recent years, she wasn't in the north as often. But he wouldn't be doing it alone. As he headed out of the infirmary, the ancestors of Kel's first sparrow flock flew around his head. They'd known something was up that morning and now they were ready to help, flying off to look for Daine and passing the message on to other birds. Cats and dogs quickly followed suit. After stopping by the town hall to ask the mage on duty to pass the message along his way, Tobe fetched three of his mounts from the stables. He saddled one, leaving only bridles on the other two and sent them on their own way. With all his scouts out, he mounted his third horse and left at a gallop.

The scouts paid off. Daine found Tobe as he was setting up camp the next night. Tobe wanted to start back for New Hope straight away, but since they were over a day's ride from the town and the sun was already setting, there was no point. They used the time over dinner to discuss the problem.

"Hmmm...well, you may have heard that I had similar problem when I had my first child. But that was because I had shape-changed when I was pregnant with her and she'd gotten the taste for. But in this case, you're the one with the horse magic, not Gydo. I think it would be safe to say, though, that you've passed it to your son and that he may even have it stronger than you. Now..." Daine's grey eyes rested thoughtfully on Tobe. "You said you could sense he was your son, but that you didn't get the same feeling that you do with the young horses. So you think he's human, but you're not totally sure."

Tobe nodded. "Do you think you'd be able to communicate with him? Maybe ask him to change back?"

Daine shook her head. "If he's human, I won't be able to communicate with him, except in the normal way." Seeing Tobe's face fall, she smiled and took his hand. "But don't worry. I know someone who can. And luckily, Beltane is only a couple of days away."

Three days later, Tobe held his human baby in his arms. Gydo was on the mend. All was well.


End file.
